Baked tofu is one of my favorite ways to add protein to a salad. It’s so easy to add some extra flavor to an otherwise flavorless food with a great sauce. Seriously, what are you waiting for?
The key to making the best baked tofu is removing as much water from the before you put it in the oven. You want to place the block of tofu between sheets of paper towels and place a heavy object on top to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. That helps you get a crispy tofu at the end, which I love!
For this recipe, I whisked together olive oil and balsamic vinegar, drizzled it on top of the tofu, and popped it in the oven. That. Simple.
I ate it on a bed of mixed greens with raspberry vinaigrette, raw pumpkin seeds, and fresh peach slices.
On a completely unrelated note…since I got back from Oaxaca in June, I’ve lost my blogging mojo a bit. I just don’t have the same amount of time to focus on testing lots of recipes, taking photos of the ones that are blog-worthy, and writing up lengthy posts. Not surprisingly, many of my most popular recipes this summer were older recipes that I made months ago. I think I’m just starting to get back some motivation to experiment and cook a lot, but the photos and writing aren’t quite back yet. I’m workin’ on it and trying to set some reasonable expectation for myself about how much I can really get done with my new schedule.
I got this special light that I’ve been using to take pictures at night. It’s been awesome so far and has taken a huge weight off my shoulders. I don’t have to worry about what time I get back from work or about taking all my food photos during the weekend. I am still getting the hang of how to use it, though, so it’s a work in progress.
Back to the food though- make this baked tofu and just try to tell me you don’t like it!
- 1 package of extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place tofu between two sheets of paper towel and place a heavy object on top like an iron pan. You may need to switch out the paper towels or use more when they get wet.
- Leave to drain for about 15 minutes.
- When ready, cut tofu into squares or cubes and lay on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil and drizzle over tofu. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over tofu.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until crispy and edges are browned.
Yum baked tofu is such a great “non-tofu lovers” dish. It’s gets so crispy! The balsamic tofu would be great on a flatbread with some artichokes and roasted tomatoes for a quick pizza!!
oh man, I love where your head is!!
I love the simplicity of this tofu dish! Sometimes, I’m at such a loss when I’m trying to figure out what to throw on top of my salad. Thanks for the inspiration!
It’s a great thing to prep on the weekend and then you can throw it into salads or stirfry throughout the week. Enjoy, Lisa!
I LOVE baked tofu- I need to try this variation- I’m usually basic and stick to soy, ginger and sesame oil! Pinning!
ooh i like that combo too. you can never go wrong with the soy sauce route!
I am a huge fan of tofu..well, actually I grew up eating tofu and all the soya products. This baked tofu looks droolworthy, Katie.
Thanks, Angie! I’m a huge fan of tofu too so I like to find ways to make it exciting.